"Citizen x" is one of the finest films of the 90's. I know it wasn't released in theaters, but I would think that true movie fans would be all over this board. Where is everyone? P.S. whoever liked this film would love a film called "Let him have it". Definitely check it out. Nique.
shareI agree that this movie was superb. I am suprised that it was never released in theatres. Its a niche film, but is one of my all time favourites simply due to the power of the performance and also the storyline (based on true facts).
It has a good rating but sadly has not had enough viewers. Hopefully there are more Citizen X fans out there. Lets see if we can get a chain going here.
Totally agree, a career best pergormance by Donald Sutherland, most of the time he is just B-moviely boring, not so here.
Rock on
I saw this on TV a couple of years ago and it totally blew me away. I would say that it's a brilliant idea - juxtaposing the horrors of cold, methodical serial killing with the grey, faceless nature of a bureaucracy-obsessed government - but it turns out it's actually a true story as well! How come so few people have even heard about this movie, let alone seen it? If I ever find it on DVD I'll be buying it for sure. Fantastic movie that appears to have been missed by the vast majority
shareI honestly believe, as somewhat of a movie guru, that CITIZEN X is one of the finest films of the 90's. I hate to see it wallow in the shadows of mainstream film marketing. I'm quite positive that if this film came out in the theaters today, it would be a hit. The younger crowd, the majority of IMDB, seem to be too worried about what's thrown in their face instead of expanding on film. I don't blame them I guess. I'll just have this gem to myself. Thanks. Nique.
shareI feel completely sure that this movie would be a hit too if it had been in theaters (in the 90's or now). I liked it in the same way I liked Silence of the Lambs which was a huge hit and THIS STORY IS NOT EVEN FICTION!
It was IMHO one of the best films ever. I end up liking films that are fogotten by society, though. If you like this movie you should watch The Murder of Mary Phagan (also a true story). What I like about both movies is that they are about one man's drive to find the truth no matter what the personal cost.
There were incredible scenes in this movie. The friendship between Lt. Burakov and Col. Fetisov and the support of Mrs. Burakov made it a truly first class drama. Lines like "It is a decadent Western phenomena" made it an excellent story of propaganda, history and the timelessness of government inadequacy. The acting was top-noch - I've never seen Sutherland better. Some of the one-liners are also superb "You think what a person says makes him what he is - If he talks for a living it does - you're wrong it's what he fights for."
The movie was horribly graphic (but not gory exactly) the scene where he murders the young woman who laughs at him will haunt me forever - but it achieves it's purpose to show us the real horror of such murders.
The movie is based on a book called "The Killer Department" which I've never gotten around to reading. But the movie portrays some of the depression in Russia and how in many ways it must still be much the way it was when Dostoyevsky wrote Crime and Punishment.
A truly facinating movie for it's drama, history and horror - in that order - but a movie that will shock all but the most die-hard horror fans.
I just don't understand why Hollywood put out movies like this - truly excellent. How many other great movies do we never see because they aren't put out by Hollywood?
I agree totally, this movie is far too unknown for how good it is. The acting is superb and the soundtrack gives it just the right feeling. I bought this movie on DVD and I can't tell you how many times I have watched it, I have lost track. I am surprised this was originally an HBO movie, I think it would have been excellent in theaters.
The biggest problem I have run into is there is no way to accurately explain how good this movie is to someone. It ends up sounding like a depressing crime drama and because of that my husband still has not watched it, although I have owned the DVD for several years now!
I found this on DVD in my local used music/video store. You can also get brand new sealed DVD's of it on eBay for about $4-$5 Buy It Now price, they have like 23 of them on there, I checked because my Mom also loves this movie and wants a copy of it too.
shareI saw this in the theatre, they released it here in Belgium. It was one of the best films i saw that year.
shareWeird, released in the movies - in the US it was only on HBO, I think.
I agree with you Leash, I can't explain how good the movie is to people either - I keep telling them it's even better than Silence of the Lambs - you have to see it - they just look incredulous like, "Yeah, right, if *I* haven't heard of it, how can it be good?"
I recommend it to people all the time - I keep myself from watching it too much, though - I don't want to waste it!
Purchased mine online from Borders.com/Amazon
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This *IS* scary Ahria - you *ARE* stalking me.
Just kidding, I know I recommended the movie twice (I forgot I had done it the first time).
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Maybe I'm double posting - my last post didn't go. I thought he was executed before I left home for college but it was 1994. The line actually was, "It's a decadent western phenomenon." What's so cool is that we're old enough to remember the cold war (barely) and this propaganda was so rampant on both sides - do you reemember Turkey TV - they had the Russian reporter named "Ivan Teel-a-lye" and he would always report how awful the Americans were - lying through his teeth.
I just loved this movie.
It's a far, far better thing I do... Actually, wait a sec you've got the wrong guy!
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Just literally finished watching this movie on BBC1 and was really impressed with it. Especially as it's a TV movie, not the kind of quality I associate with them.
The acting was superb, the way in which the story revolved around Stephen Rea's character was great too.
"It is better to die once, than to live in constant fear of death."
Yes - i just watched it on the BBC last night as well. It kept me glued to the screen and despite the fact I was also recording it on DVD, I had to watch it 'live'.
I remeber the court case in the news - the scene where we see Andrei Chikatilo in the white barred cage and the families of the victims crying out to him in the court room brought the memory back
The violence was not graphic and that is a good point - otherwise it would turn into nothing more than a voyeristic slasher movie. I guess that movies like this cannot get the distribution it deserves, it costs money to do that and it is a risk to put a movie out just because it's well acted - it would read (as someone has already said on this board), as a depressing movie - not good box office draw at all.
It seems to me that 'real life' murder films seem to have to be made as TV movies - I can only think of The Boston Strangler as a mainstream film about a serial killer (although there have beem many 'fantasy' films about Jack the Ripper of course). However I'm sure I'm wrong on that point?
All or Nothing
I was probably 15 when i saw this on HBO and i cried, it
was just too horrible!!!
I have been championing this film for years, mostly to slightly bewildered friends who have never heard of it, though I did manage to convert my former housemate to its brilliance a few years back. It's great to see that it has a devoted cult following.
I agree with all of what has been said above, except that my favourite moment is definitely where Donald Sutherland's character stomps on Joss Ackland by threatening to expose his gay lover if he keeps attacking Rea. It's a fantastic scene.
I live in Belgium and I saw this movie in the theater, where it wasn't a great succes, after it left the theater, I had a hard time finding it on dvd, it took me 6 years...
I love this film!!!
I was living in South Africa when this film was released and it got a very limited theatrical release. I was lucky enought see it in a good size cinema which made me want to go and see it again. This has to be one of the most underrated films of all time. It was way too good for just a tv release.
"Git R done!" -Larry The Cable Guy
****SPOILERS BELOW****
I agree that that was one of the best scenes, because of Sutherland's understatement. He knew better than to play it indignant, self-righteous. It was a man who was taking a stand against someone who was responsible for his position. The emotions in that scene seem so complicated, but maybe it's because of the understatement--Sutherland allows us to superimpose the emotions that we think should be there. Truly masterful. That was possibly one of the best things about the movie.
The movie, in many ways, was about restraint vs. release, maybe even about impotence. So much was restrained...my own favorite scene was where Rea finds out that he has all the resources that he needs and that the FBI has been following his work with admiration. Playing that off against the madman's moments of explosion was fascinating.
What a GREAT movie! I'm willing to forgive the first time I saw Stephen Rea in fear dot com! THAT'S how good it was.
Citizen X was a great movie and I've watched it many, many times. Citizen X was "a made for HBO movie" and was not intended for theatrical release. There are some advantages to being an HBO subscriber, other than the Sopranos. This HBO project is one of them!
shareI watched this movie because i love serial killer movies like ted bundy, so i tought this would be a great movie but i was a bit disapointed, the acting didn't impress me, also it was mostly about the cop trying to catch him, it barely showed what the killer did to his victims, i wanted to see more of that.
shareI stumbled on this movie simply because it was cheap, probably the best $5 I have ever spent. It is defiantly a very hard movie to describe but the few people I have “forced” to watch it have all ended up loving it. Wish there was a way to get more people to see it.
TANSTAAFL
This is perhaps the best movie about serial killers and the people who track them down. Although I love Silence of the Lambs this movie is much more real. This is how it has to be, no tips from brilliant and ignimatic killers already intututionalized, no suspenseful final stand off between the killer and the hero cop, and none of that crap about the killer leading the cops on and giving them clues. Tracking down these motiveless killers is hard and grueling and can take years and years of detective work. That is what this movie is all about. Plus great subtle very russian performances from Sutherland and Rea.
shareVery good movie.
shareAn old boyfriend of mine told me about this movie in the late '90's. Finally saw it (tried to rent it SO many times...to no avail) on various movie channels. My latest viewing was today. This film is powerful and the skill of the film-making is superb. It doesn't lack for an audience as far as I can tell. I've seen it probably x5 by now.
Cheers.
I saw this movie on Showtime one night when I was flipping channels. And WOW, what a great picture! It really blew me away. It kept me glued to the screen, I just had to watch it. I was very surprised to find out that this was a made for tv movie, I was sure this was a theatrical release film. Very recommended!
'Is that what I think it is?'
'No, it's a treasure map!'
Same here, when I watched it, I thought it was on the big screen and I just missed it. I remember seeing a trailer on a rental DVD/Video and wanted to wathc that movie. Took a long time but I finally caught it on German TV a few years back. I love this movie, I really do. Too bad it never resurfaced on TV over here.
I think I'll get the DVD for Christmas ;)
Its really sad theres not more people who have seen this movie. I love every single part of it and rate it as a clear 10 together with A Clockwork Orange, Eyes Wide Shut, The Pianist and Schindlers List.
The ending scene where they finally arrest him in the park is one of the best scenes in a movie - ever. The music, man after man standin up and starting to walk alongside him, I got no words for it. Truly and by far the most underrated movie of all time!